$10k Cayenne.. what to look for..
 

I've decided to replace my 210K mile Suburban with a Cayenne. My price point is 10k +/- 3k ish. From what I can see here in the Midwest that's about a 06-08 ish Cayenne with 100k-140k miles. My only two requirements are V8 and air suspension as I need the best towing rig I can afford.

My main question is what's the gotchas on these? What do you really need to look out for? On 944s, what I'm used to, the list is a mile long however I know it by heart, but I've just started looking at 955s (did it change in 08? I'm not sure on the internal Porsche names/years yet on these) Anyway 955 or whatever, is there things you really have to watch out for? In general or by year?

I just want to be well armed when I start looking here this summer.

If you can locate an 08 (957) at your price point go for it. The issues are many but reduced considerably, compared to the 955.

Stock air suspension is going to make the search challenging. It is standard on the 2008 GTS and Turbo, not at your price point...yet.

Using A/S in the search criteria can be a waste of time. Used car lots have no clue about P options.

Like any Porsche, the list is a mile long for the Cayennes as well. All of the V8s can suffer from scored cylinders. Early 955s seem to be most affected but it can happen to any of the V8 models. The 955s have plastic coolant tubes under the intake that fail in grand style. The replacements are aluminum. Probably done by 100k miles. Cardan shaft center bearing support failure, plastic T coolant line failure, torque convertor seal failure, valve body failure, air compressor failure... I am sure I missed a few but research on each of those will get you started.

Personally I would bump the budget slightly and shoot for a turbo. That gives you standard air suspension, full leather and plenty of towing power and really no additional maintenance concerns, in fact turbos might be more reliable.

:eek:

First time that's ever been said....ever! LOL

So, what you really want to find is one that has had all this done already. Kinda like the boxter and that bearing. The second take away from that for me was to look for a 957 over a 955. I'll spend my next few months researching what you've mentioned above, get myself educated. It's what I did with the 944 before I bought 1 (well, 2 now).


I had read that first off! LOL It was just a little lacking on details! :cool:


It still amazes me that with the amount of engineering Porsche does, and the limited number of platforms they have to juggle, how often they drop the ball on stuff. Maybe it's DUE to the limited numbers, hence limited testing, but you'd think they would learn from their sister companies.

I also wonder if they just engineer for 50k or 5 years. Figuring their target demographic would trade in for a new one by then. IDK, but you still gotta love em.

I've got my work cut out for me it seems. :typing:

Actually pretty well accepted in the Cayenne world. The turbo engine gets different pistons, an under-piston oil squirter/cooler and a few other things that add to it's reliability.

The turbos themselves are not particularly troublesome, it's almost unknown for them to need replacing (once in a great while sort of thing..)

On the flat sixes, fixing the IMS bearing by no means makes that a reliable engine. It also suffers from a laundry list of engineering fails. Another case where the 996TT is far and away more reliable than its non turbo brethren.

Having started with a 951 vs a 944, I fully understand where you are coming from though.

If you are going to go turbo in the Cayenne, the 955s are the value right now. They can be had in excellent condition for ~$15k. Just like any Porsche, maintenance and repairs done for you are good. Condition is king on these. The well maintained 955TT with a 100k is ready for another 100k without too many issues. The only problem with going to a 957TT is the 5-10k price gap for ostensibly the same car. Lots of small updates on the 957 and the facelift but nothing you just have to have. The 957 still has cooling system issues, some the same, some different. I have had to repair the loose fitting on the back side of the block, the plastic T under the intake and the coolant reservoir. Nothing expensive to DIY but repairs nonetheless. Mine was well maintained, regularly serviced etc etc but I am definitely compiling a list of proactive to do's so some of this downtime waiting for parts can be avoided in the future. I do love the car though.

First off:

955 - 03 to 06. Base, S, CTT (turbo) and CTTS (turbo S) in 06
957 - 08 to 10 Same choices. No 07 model in the US

You will be better off with a turbo. Really.
Better optioned, air suspension standard, more power, far less chance of cylinder scoring.
The price difference between a 955 S and a CTT is negligible at this point. The differences in the car is well worth it.

Standard issues on a 955 include Coolant pipes & T, cardan shaft, water pump, air compressor, hatch struts, coil packs, LCAs, starter, oil in the charge air pipe, seat backs, and on and on.

The big one is the pipes. They will go. And when they do, they douse the starter and dribble coolant down the back of the motor which destroys the torque converter seal. There was a class action suit that resulted in partial refunds for people who had them blow and fixed it at a dealer. Case is over, so you are out of luck on that (so was I, but I did them myself before they let go).

The others are all manageable, some have "MacGuyver" fixes for far, far less than what a "stealership" would rook you for. Search "Jimi Fix" for the one on the Cardan shaft.

Spend a few hours going back through the forums. You will find a number of threads asking the exact same question.
You will also see what problems pop up on a regular basis. And what doesn't (like the turbo).

Before you buy into all the "Turbos are more reliable" hysteria consider this...

The turbo models have additional parts to break that the S model doesn't have...IE: The turbo models all have air suspension, that ridiculous coolant T, a water cooled alternator, the turbos themselves, etc. They also get cylinder scoring at virtually the same rate as non-turbo models, especially in cold weather climates with owners who run a 5w40 oil year round or extended length oil changes.

In fact, I'd put a fair bit of money into betting that the Turbo models are actually less reliable. You have to remember that this site, as an enthusiast site, see's more Turbo owners joining "Just because" and more S model owners (Generally less of the enthusiast crowd) joining because they have an actual problem and need an answer to it. Thus, the general opinion of this forum is heavily skewed.


Take it from someone who owns BOTH models..and has repaired virtually everything listed on a Turbo model...While the S just keeps humming along. Oh, and my S has definitely been pushed harder than the turbo ever has!

Working on cars is my hobby, so the DIY isn't a big deal. I'm normally in the school of thought that having multiple cars is better and cheaper in the long run then buying new cars. You just gotta have spare cars so you have something to drive while one is down.

And just hope two don't go at the same time! But just in case, I have 3 or 4... Lol

This is good info! Thanks for the help guys! I'm glad to see the C form is as active and helpful as the 944 form.

Gonna start looking this summer, after I get my new 951 all settled in. Well, and my 944 NA back together... Maybe I'll shoot for this fall. Lol